Int'l Day for Disaster Reduction today

Creating awareness to reduce disaster risks stressed

The International Day for Disaster Reduction- 2017 will be observed in the country today (Friday) as elsewhere in the world in line with this year theme "Home Safe Home", reports BSS.
The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry, different government, non-government organizations and communities have chalked out different programmes to mark the day.
A discussion meeting, organized by Disaster Management and Relief Ministry, will be held at 10 am at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury (Maya) Bir Bikram will be present as the chief guest. The ministry, Disaster Management Department, Fire Service and Civil Defence and different NGOs, working on disaster preparedness will display their activities at a daylong fair on the premises of Osmani Memorial.
Word councilors of different wards under both North and South City Corporations took different community based programmes in their respective areas to mark the day.
Besides, the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry took different programmes at district and upazila level across the country in collaboration with local administrations.
On the eve of the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages and urged all to be alert to tackle disasters like lightning and earthquake.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said, "We are not free from tremor risks. It destroys life as well as houses and infrastructures...I think the electronic and print media can play a vital role in creating awareness among the people by publishing and broadcasting information about tremors."
The theme of this year's International Day for Disaster Reduction - 'Home Safe Home' - is very significant, he said, adding Bangladesh is now a role model in combating natural disasters.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was awarded as 'Champions of the Earth' for combating disaster, which is a matter of pride for the country, Abdul Hamid said.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government is implementing a number of effective measures to reduce different natural calamities.
The Premier said, "I am happy to learn that the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction will be observed tomorrow in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world."
"Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the pioneer of implementing disaster risk reduction programmes in the country. He took steps to make Mujib Killa for saving lives from cyclones. He also established Cyclone Preparedness Programmes (CPP) in 1973 for the coastal people of the country," she added. She urged the people to be more aware to reduce the loss of life and property caused by earthquake and lightning and to follow the building code while making buildings.
The government has taken initiatives to prepare an adequate number of volunteers in every district for post-disaster period, she said.
"We made Disaster Management Act-2012 and National Disaster Policy-2015," the Premier said, adding the government bought rescue instruments worth Taka 169 crore for combating earthquake.
According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the day celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters. This year's focus is "Reducing the number of affected people by disasters by 2030",
The UN General Assembly called for the International Day for Disaster Reduction in 1989 as a way to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction.